Hello, its my first time posting, and Iv been looking at getting a Mini now for a few months. I want the little extra mpg from the cooper, but like all the options of the cooper s. Which ever I get, it has to be a manual transmission, and needs to have the moonroof. Id really like one with all the options, but I don't know how reliable these cars are, and if I should stay away from the cooper s or not. What normally goes wrong with these cars? Ideally, I want everything from a cooper s, but without the supercharger, since I'm guessing they are less reliable and more expensive to fix. Im looking for 04-06. What kind of millage should I get one of these with? How much is too much before they start having a bunch of problems? There is one I found that has everything besides the super charger, even navigation, but it has 100k on it, which I would consider too much... Any input would be greatly appreciated. I drive a Acura TSX right now and love the reliability, so I don't want to get anything that will cause me a bunch of problems.

Thanks, Ron

 

Do not fear the supercharger. Seriously.

Yes, it's one more thing that could possibly wear out and go wrong, but the design and parts are as reliable as any other part(s) of the car. Further, if you don't get an "S", you'll probably wish you did. The 1.6L normally-aspirated wheezer engine will underwhelm you at every turn.

You'll get differing opinions on what the best YM is, but the '05 and '06 models are the end of the first generation Minis, and all (most) of the gremlins were worked out by that point. Also, both model years are almost identical, so going with an '06 usually gets you lower miles on the car, but not necessarily. If you desire a first-gen Mini, these are the years you want.

If you like the second-gen Minis, they're a very different animal, and that desire is completely subjective.

 

More accurate would be "at every long, straight line," don't you think?

As for the OP, if you're looking for an S, 05/06 are generally regarded as the most reliable model years. 100k is pretty high. Anything you find, get it checked out by a qualified MINI tech. There are a few things to look out for, here is a starting point:

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

Good luck in your search!

 

They do get better MPG. They are cheaper to insure.(No Turbo) They drive very nice and they also look good. If you don't need or are going to use the extra power of a Turbo Charged engine a Justa Mini is a fine car to own.

It is up to what you really want and the way you are going to use it.

 

All true. I really enjoy driving my R50. My last ride was a CBR600, as much horsepower as my Justa and weighed around 400lbs, so I'm no stranger to speed and power to weight ratio. I will probably trade up to a JCW when it makes financial sense, but the Cooper isn't boring, in my opinion. Some modest upgrades and it's much more fun than stock.

I just took a long highway trip (~3000km) and I got 38MPG when I drove slow and 34MPG when I drove fast.

Just drive both and then make your decision, that's the only way you'll really know. I test drove a Cooper S shortly after I bought my R50 to see what I was missing, and I wasn't blown away by the difference, but that's just me.